Chasing the Rising Sun
by La Vik
Summary: [Biker!AU, eventual Reylo]. Rey is an engineering student whose research brings her face-to-face with the Dark Siders, a motorcycle club that rules Orderly Falls with an iron fist with club president Kylo calling the shots. In a town controlled by the Dark Side where secrets of the past hold the entire town hostage, Rey's arrival might shake things up... to disastrous ends.
1. Chapter 1

"You… piece… of… _garbage_!"

That was the tamest of Rey's comments as the old blue Ford station wagon into which she had packed all of her things sputtered to a halt at the side of the highway. She was in no particular rush to be anywhere or to meet up with anyone in the town of Orderly Falls – she had a meeting at the hospital, Saint Luke's Medical Center, scheduled for the next day, but other than that, there was no reason for her to feel particularly pressured by the sudden state in which she'd found her car.

It just _sucked_.

She had first decided to move to Orderly Falls because it appeared the optimal place to finish her research on the use of technology – specifically her specialty, robotics – in rural hospitals. She had left the city with the highest of hopes and loftiest of ambitions once the director of Saint Luke's Medical Center had agreed to let Rey Jackson come and implement her project at the hospital.

Rey had signed the lease on a one-bedroom house in Orderly Falls with a big enough garage to serve as her workshop – but now, she was stranded without any way of reaching it. Using the elastic band around her wrist to tie her brown hair hack before stepping out of the car, she intended to either fix this heap of garbage or catch a case of heat stroke trying while out in the almost desert-like heat. However, before she could get started, the roar of engines thundering up the road as she stepped out of her car made her body go tense. She exited the car and made her way to the shoulder, off to the side of the road, just in time to see three Fatboy motorcycles thundering up over the small hill in the highway, pulling up behind her.

The man at the front of the three dismounted, while the others did not. He was a large man – not muscular, Rey noted, but rather blob-like – and discolored as though he made a habit of drinking far too much for his liver. A brief whiff of him as the wind subtly changed directions further supported Rey's assertion to this end.

"You look stuck, little lady," the man beamed, pulling off his riding glasses. "How's about you let us give you a lift somewhere, call someone to fix that cage o' yours," he said, nodding at the old stalled station wagon.

"I can fix it myself," Rey said with a slight sneer. "Might've managed already if you hadn't gotten here, honestly."

"Ouch. No need to be _rude_ , darlin'," the large man said. He chuckled and reached out for Rey's hand, placing a condescending kiss on the back. The action, rather than evoking a gratefulness in Rey that chivalry was not dead, instead ignited a fire behind her eyes.

" _Let go_ ," she hissed, " _of my hand_."

But the large man grinned and held it tighter before looking over his shoulder at his two companions and nodding for them to join him. The two other men dismounted their bikes and started stalking over.

Great, Rey thought with a roll of her eyes. She hadn't even gotten into town yet and already she was about to get into a fight. Instinctively, she yanked her hand away from the large man and, in a swift and unstoppable motion, moved over and knocked his bike to the ground with a sharp kick. Knowing immediately that she'd done nothing that would win her any friends, she immediately began darting away in the opposite direction. Orderly Falls was only seven more miles away as the crow flew, if the map that had been splayed across her passenger seat was to be trusted. It couldn't be too bad.

Instead of the sound of footsteps pursuing her, however, Rey froze in her tracks when the men instead began kicking and banging stones on her station wagon, caving in the back window. She felt her hackles raised.

All of her equipment and work plans were in there.

In spite of her better judgment and sense of self-preservation, Rey doubled back and began beating on their meaty backs with her fists as they continued wreaking havoc on her poor old station wagon. Finally, after she'd managed a particularly rough clap to their leader's ear, they again focused their attention on her, with the two underlings grabbing her arms and holding her still while she continued to resist, kicking and flailing.

"You'd make a real nice ol' lady if I could manage to get a leash on ya," their leader said with a sneer of a grin. " _Real nice_ –"

His large, grubby hands were reaching forward for her when suddenly a familiar blaring noise – a siren – burst into audibility and the pickup truck with the Orderly Falls Sheriff Department pulled up alongside them, causing the men to step back from Rey and stare at the newly arrived vehicle in disgust.

"Gentlemen," a young, darker-skinned man in a sheriff's uniform said as he stepped out of the car. Rey caught a glimpse of his badge number – 2187 – still shiny and emblazoned with the word _deputy_. "Something the matter here?"

"Nothin' at all. Deputy," the leader said with a derisive smirk. "Nothin' at all."

"Yeah. Thought so," the deputy said with a slight jerk of his head – Rey had to fight back a chuckle. It was clear how new the young man was, and she had yet to decide if his assistance was truly helping, but she appreciated it just the same. "How about you three head on back to the city? Orderly Falls hasn't got much to keep you interested, does it?"

"Wish we could," the leader said. "But see, this lovely lady here kicked over my bike and I'm not sure it's gonna start."

"Well," the deputy said, pausing and raising his eyebrows, tilting his head to one side. "Then you can hop on the back of your buddy's bike and call a tow truck when you get home."

"You ain't gonna do me the courtesy of callin' it in for me, Deputy?"

"Wish I could. But I might accidentally call in for backup, considering I'm pretty sure I just witnessed an assault in progress on this young lady before I got here."

The rotund men glared at the deputy, but eventually – and grudgingly – complied. The sight of _two_ of these large men trying to get onto a single bike, and the subsequent groan of the suspension under their combined weight, again tested Rey's ability not to laugh. She held it in until the men had ridden away a distance, and allowed a smirk to cross her face.

" _You_ need to be more careful, Miss," the deputy said seriously, his eyebrows leaping high on his face as he addressed her. "Who knows what coulda happened if I hadn't shown up."

"I could've handled myself… Deputy…"

"Finn," the young man said, holding out his hand for a hand shake. "Deputy Sheriff Finn Tate."

"Deputy _Finn_ ," Rey said, shaking his hand. She preferred his first name – it had a little more character. "Well, thank you."

"Just… doin' my job," he said with a slightly goofy chuckle that Rey was, at least in some part, able to read. He was young, and had an affinity for having his ego appealed to. Being new, it was a fair assessment to say that it probably didn't happen often, and he was happy to milk it for all it was worth. "What are you doin' all the way out here, miss…"

"Rey. Not Miss. Just Rey," she stated. "My car broke down – I'm just moving into town," she explained, unconsciously reaching up and adjusting the messy bun into which she had tied her hair. "And apparently, I'm _awful_ at making friends," she added with a smirk.

"Well I got some tow straps in the truck, I can probably get you into town," Finn spoke up with a little more enthusiasm than likely was needed, eliciting a small chuckle from Rey – Finn caught himself in the act and cleared his throat, rolling his shoulders in feigned nonchalance. "I got a shop that we bring all our cars to when they need servicing, I'm sure they can make time for you –"

"I'm an engineer," Rey interrupted. "If you could just tow me to my house, I'll be fine on my own."

"Don't you have movin' to do?" Finn pressed on, simultaneously opening the passenger side door of the pickup truck and fishing around under the seat for the tow straps tucked into a hard plastic carrying case. "That takes time, and you're gonna want your car working. You'll need it to get around."

Rey wasn't sure why she was actually convinced by the deputy's reasoning, but some way or another, she was seated in the passenger seat within minutes and on her way to Dameron Motors. She found, also, that Deputy Sheriff Finn Tate was quite a talker.

"And that's Sweetie's Donut Shop – you're not a local unless you have a _usual_ there," he said as they made their way down Main Street. "Bavarian cream filled is where it's at, so I'd probably suggest you start –"

Rey yelped slightly and stopped herself from hitting the airbag panel on the dashboard when suddenly, Finn hit the brakes as a group of bikers in black turned onto Main Street from a side road – he yielded for them as they merged onto the road ahead of his truck.

"These the same guys as earlier?" Rey asked, sinking down slightly to avoid being seen as a precaution. "Maybe heading into town wasn't a great idea after all.

"Different guys. You can tell by the colors," Finn said, gesturing vaguely with his free hand. Rey squinted a little to make out the text on embroidered patches on all of their black leather vests – Dark Siders, Orderly Falls Charter. Relieved, she sat up straighter and realized that their bikes were much nicer, much more meticulously-maintained, even at first glance. When the man at the front of the group raised his hand and made a gesture, signaling for the entire group of bikes to turn, Rey's gaze drifted to him – he was clearly the tallest of the group, and wore all black, even riding on a black bike. "Club prez," Finn spoke up, following the direction of Rey's gaze. "Name's Kylo. His grandpa was probably the _best_ president the club ever had in the eighties, right after Vietnam – they brought a ton of money into the town. Probably paid for half of the buildings in this town to get built in the first place," Finn said with a thrilled laugh that admittedly confused Rey a bit. This deputy sheriff obviously loved his job – obviously wanted to be _excellent_ at it. Why was he so giddy to talk about a local gang of bikers?

"The Dark Siders have changed a lot since then, though. Taken a different direction," Finn continued. "Still bring in money, but don't do a good job cleaning up the things they do to make it."

"What do you mean, the things they do to make it?"

"Trust me," Finn said, glancing over at Rey with his eyebrows raised again. "Spend a little while in Orderly Falls and you'll know."

Rey was tempted to press him a little harder for information now that her curiosity was peaked, and she was confident that she couldn't have gotten it had they not just pulled through the gates to a fairly large auto shop with a large, orange and white sign that read Dameron Motors.

Fiinn brought the truck to a halt and got out – immediately, from inside the front office, a man in grey coveralls with dark orange elbow and knee patches came out and beamed in greeting. "Finnie!" the man with wavy dark hair and grease-coated hands said, throwing one arm out wide in greeting while reaching for a rag in his back pocket with the other. He wiped off his hands before glancing at Rey as she got out of the car, offering his hand to shake. "You bring me a customer to make up for making me pay that speeding ticket?"

"Just doing my job, man," Finn lauhed bashfully, scratching the back of his neck. "Tryin' not to get fired –"

" _Relax_ ," the mechanic laughed, waving his hand dismissively. "I know you're on the straight and narrow now. Grown up job and everythin'," he laughed, gently socking his friend in the shoulder. Then, he turned to Rey. "Poe Dameron. Best mechanic in town. What can I do for you?"

"Rey Jackson. See that piece of garbage back there?" Rey said, squinting slightly against the high, bright sun and gesturing back at the blue station wagon hitched onto the back of the pickup truck. "It's all I've got, and it gave up on me about seven miles outside of town. Can you fix it?"

"Sweetheart," Poe said, chuckling as though in disbelief that it was a question his new acquaintance even needed to ask. "I can fix _anything_."

* * *

 _A/N_

 _I couldn't help myself! I have a few chapters of this one written, but probably will be updating much less frequently than 'A Most Coveted Burden', as this one is going to be much less serious. But just a disclaimer that in this story, I'm assuming that Rey and Ben/Kylo are not related, and this will in fact be eventual Reylo. I just haven't decided when, because what's life without a little game of cat and mouse once in a while?_

 _Kylo will make his first extensive appearance in the next chapter, and Rey's going to get settled into her new life in Orderly Falls. This whole story is a little random, because it's one of my less planned-out works, but since I miss Sons of Anarchy and am also trying to get back in the zone with some of my stories in that fandom, this felt like a good compromise._

 _If you have any suggestions for events you want to see happen, I'm open to suggestions!_

 _Also, thank you to my Tumblr team, who have now dubbed themselves "Team Positive Vibes". Thanks for responding to my posts on Tumblr and coming on here to leave positive messages for the people who are experiencing trolling and harassment right now. Hashtag squad goals! (Did I actually just say that?)  
_

 _Anyway, until the next update, cheers!_


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm pleasantly surprised that you wanted to implement your research at our hospital, Miss Jackson," the director said, adjusting the lapels of her suit jacket, which was slightly oversized for her. Rey could read her like a book, the way she could with a lot of people – as though it was were some sort of gift or something. The director was trying hard to be _impressive_ , to be taken seriously, which made it no surprise that she agreed to a doctoral student coming in and doing work at her hospital – for the slight chance it gave for being known for something. She was short woman with large spectacles and a Cheshire Cat grin that peered out on occasion, who carried herself with an air of respectability that seemed ill-fit to her stature.

"My father was born here," Rey shrugged. "So, it seemed like a good place to start."

"So your father's a local!" the director said with a broad, genuinely friendly grin. "I'm an Orderly Falls girl myself, put down roots here and everything. Maybe I'd know him!"

"I… I don't think you would," Rey said with a nervous, dismissive laugh, an uncomfortable smile rising onto her face that made her eyes go into a slight squint. "But Miss Kanata, I'm _very much_ looking forward to my work here. I promise, you won't regret giving me this opportunity!"

Director Kanata gave Rey a slightly questioning, perhaps mildly pitying smile, before rising to her feet and stepping around the desk. "I know I won't regret it – I never regret any opportunity to bring the best and the brightest to our facility. Here, let me show you to your office."

Her office. Rey's posture unconsciously straightened up to full height when it really settled that she was going to have an office – like a real _somebody_. A part of her didn't believe it, and a part of her thought that it was about time. There was an uncharacteristic bounce to her step as she followed Director Kanata down to her office. The corridor leading to the small hospital's administration office passed by the waiting area of the emergency department, where the sound of murmuring and shuffling, thudding footsteps caught Rey's attention. She peered in passing around the corner and again caught sight of the leather-clad men she had seen on bikes the previous day. Almost immediately as she glanced over, the tallest among them, the man clad in all-black, standing against the wall with his arms crossed, turned to look at her. His eyes squinted almost imperceptibly, but Rey wasn't able to see him react any further before she had passed the corridor.

"Don't mind them. The Dark Siders are hanging around the emergency room nearly every other week. Taking turns getting shot at, I'm sure," Kanata said vaguely as they continued down an adjacent hallway. "Nothing but trouble – I'd stay away from them. You have a _bright future_ at our hospital, don't bother with them."

"Mm." Rey made a noncommittal noise. Did people get distracted by these Dark Siders so much in this town that Kanata would think this was a useful piece of advice.

"Here we are," Kanata said as they reached a small door at the end of the hallway. She unlocked it, then handed the key back towards Rey, who took it happily and tucked it away into her laptop bag as they walked into the small office. The first thing Rey noticed was that it had a _window_. Sure, a small one made only of four panes of glass, each about the size of her hand, but it was a window nonetheless. "I'll let you get settled in. I believe my assistant left a sheet of letter decals for you to put your name on the door."

At this, despite the fact that it was perhaps a very miniscule thing, Rey beamed brightly – the shift in her usually flat expression brought a smile to Kanata's face as well. "Your badge is sufficient to get you onto any unit in our hospital, Miss Jackson. Feel free to shadow the staff and get to know them a little better. I trust you won't disturb them too much," she added with a slightly mischievous grin.

An office, Rey couldn't help but mentally repeat to herself as she put her laptop bag down on the desk once Kanata had left back for her own office. There was a good amount of space, a good amount of light, and most importantly, it was hers. She began rifling through the desk until she came across the envelope that contained the alphabet decals which she proceeded to spread out on the surface of her desk to see if she had the appropriate letters to put her name on the door.

"I haven't seen you in Orderly Falls before."

Rey looked up and unconsciously took a step backward at the sight of the mysterious biker in black from the emergency department. However, despite the fact that she was curious about him, in this instant, she felt more threatened than anything by the fact that he appeared without warning in her newly acquired space. He meandered in, just past the doorway, running a hand through his dark, wavy hair.

"I wasn't under the impression that you _owned_ this town."

"Well, you know now. What's your name, darlin'?"

"Rey. Rey Jackson – nice to put a face to the name, Kylo."

She smirked at the look of surprise that crossed the man's face – the element of surprise was always an asset, especially with types like this who felt the need to control everything. It was, admittedly, nice to one-up him so early in their acquaintance. Rey made a mental note to thank Finn when she saw him next for giving her the tip.

"So you've heard of me. Good," Kylo said, taking a few steps closer into the room. "At least you've been given a proper Orderly Falls welcome."

"Guess I have."

A silence settled between the two, and for a few tense seconds, her eyes met his dark ones – no words, no gestures or expressions. There was simply a prolonged, tangible connection - some kind of force that was drawing the pair to remain in one another's presence, even in the absence of words.

"I make it a point to keep an eye on everyone that comes in and outta my town," Kylo said, turning the chair in front of Rey's desk so that the back faced forward and he straddled it with his gangly legs. "So I knew when you came, and I'll know when you leave."

"I don't plan on leaving any time soon," Rey said with a deceptively sweet but clearly mischievous smile, tilting her head to one side. "So I'm sure I'll be seeing you around, Kylo."

"Yes," he said, getting up smoothly, despite having only been seated for a few seconds. "Yes, you will."

And he strode out of the room, shutting the door behind him. It was only after he was gone that Rey realized that her heart was beating a little faster than it had been before he arrived. Perhaps, she mused, Kanata was right about the Dark Siders being a very preoccupying distraction.

Still, work came first. Rey took to putting the letters decals up to spell out her name on the clouded glass pane of her office door. She moved around a couple of the empty cabinets and bookshelves to her liking, then gave herself a brief tour of some of the units, careful not to interrupt any of their business. She was used to computer labs and research facilities, many of which lacked this component actual care for actual people. She was out of her element here – even with the sterile smell of her surroundings, something about the staff of the small-town hospital exuded great warmth that Rey knew would take some getting used to.

The cold, disconnected feel of city, the fast-paced hum of cars and passersby, had always been something of a shield for Rey, and here in Orderly Falls, that shield was gone.

After some minor dusting and space planning, as well as jotting down a few notes for herself what things from home she would bring to her office the next day, she realized that it was five o'clock – end of the business day. It was difficult to tell, because the doctors and nurses seemed to operate on a completely different schedule, as though time simply ran differently when people's lives depended on you. There was something both fascinating and terrifying about the idea.

She pulled her bag back over her shoulder and shuffled around in her bag for her phone – her car was still at Poe's shop and Finn had been planning on giving her a ride home. A glance at her text messages, however, confirmed that plans had changed. Profusely apologetic, Finn had sent her several messages saying first that he, being the _new guy_ , had been pulled into extra paperwork filing duties around the office but that he would try to get out of them, then that he might not get out of them, then that it looked like he was going to be stuck for a good while.

Rey groaned slightly. She could walk – Orderly Falls was a small town, and it was a feasible option, but she had hardly worn appropriate footwear for it, due to her damned desire to make a good first impression. What a day, she thought in disappointment, to decide to forego dressing for comfort.

"You don't have anyone to take you home."

Rey flinched slightly and turned around to see Kylo standing behind her, a motorcycle helmet tucked under one arm, his riding glasses hanging at the collar of his shirt. "I know you don't have a car."

"I don't need a ride."

"So I'm right," Kylo said, raising his eyebrows. "You don't have one."

"No, I don't."

"You do now," he said, his tone of voice leaving no room for question. "Follow me, I'll take you home."

Almost as though entranced, Rey followed despite the fact that her more logical side told her to follow Kanata's advice. Hadn't she said to steer clear of Kylo and the other Dark Siders? Yet even as she thought these things to herself, she moved as though outside of her own control. She was strapping on the spare helmet and fastening her bag down. She was on the back of his back, wrapping her arms around his waist. As they sped down the road, she found herself holding a little more tightly to keep her balance, and subsequently noting that he smelled of leather, aftershave, and only lightly of menthol cigarettes.

Then, it was only after they had pulled to a stop in her driveway that she realized she hadn't _told_ him a single direction to her residence at any point during their drive. The slightly puzzled expression on her face as she removed her helmet and ran a hand through her slightly flattened-out hair brought a smirk the Kylo's face as she moved in closer to her, leaning in so that his face was only inches from hers. He froze there for a breath moment, and Rey could slightly feel the contrast between his warm breath and the cool air of the growing evening. Then, he reached out and gently pulled the spare helmet from Rey's hands.

"I told you," he said in a coarse voice, practically purring in her ear in a low baritone that was nearly a hum. "I keep an eye on everyone who comes in and out of my town. And I'm keeping an eye on _you_ , Rey Jackson."

And as he strode off and his bike roared away down the street, Rey cursed under breath. This time, Kylo was the one who'd had the element of surprise. This, if nothing else, confirmed Director Kanata's statement: the Dark Siders were nothing but trouble.

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Short chapter, but didn't want to leave anyone hanging!_

 _Holy cow. First, I want to say thank you for all of your support in the time since I last updated either of my stories. The well-wishes and messages have been great! I haven't gotten a chance to respond because a full time job plus full time grad school gives me precious few hours for writing, but just know that I am so grateful and inspired by all of the kind words you all have sent my way._

 _Since a couple people have been concerned, I just wanted to make sure everyone knows that I'm just slow due to school and work, because I'm finally getting some of the heavy work on my thesis started, and that has to take the front seat for now. Updates will, admittedly, be a little bit slow sometimes, but they will keep coming! I wanted to at least get this one posted so I could add this note and keep you in the loop!_

 _Anyway, until the next update, cheers!_


End file.
